Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

I don't care what anyone says. This guy is gonna be a playmaker in the NFL! I've been lobbying for this guy for months. Take him in the 3rd or 4th! He's fast,tough,and has a keen DB instinct. As for his off field antics...whoop-dee-doo! The kid was in a college environment and was thrust into the national spotlight. He's only human and with everyone projecting the "don't care" persona on him it's only natural that he started to embrace it. Also I would bet that there are quite a few NFL players that smoke marijuana. I'm not condoning it or justifying it but I do think that the media has blown his so called "drug abuse" out of proportion. This guy is a natural playmaker and I would bet my last dollar that he will be an impact player somewhere. Hopefully with us.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Sean Payton ALWAYS has room on the roster for a handful of head cases or problem children -- guys like Shockey, Hargrove, Hartley, Bush (distractions), Akiem Hicks, and a few others. Even Courtney Roby on special teams is kind of a borderline head case sometimes, which is why I love the guy.

But Payton only keeps a few of those types of guys around, three or four a year, below critical mass, so the inmates never run the asylum. And to be a Saint, they can have a past, but they have to have mended their ways.

A "drug" guy like Antony Hargrove, he was a gamble for the team -- but when he came here he had rounded a corner on that, and everyone who knew him personally, KNEW that he had rounded the corner on it, that he'd grown as a person, seen the light, learned his lesson, etc. etc.

Honey Badger just doesn't seem to me like there's been ANY awareness or reconciliation on his part, about the weed thing. So I don't see it happening here with the Saints. Some other team might take him. But there's no question he has hurt his chances and cost himself a lot of money, with those off-the-field mistakes.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Why is Akim Hicks & Roby listed as a "head case"? IMO head case is someone that gets in trouble with the law over and over or gets into it with teammates or coaches. Never heard of any of that happening with either of these guys.

As far as Tyrann goes...I think a lot will have to do with the lockerroom/coaching situation he's in. To me @ LSU...being THE guy on campus and pretty much having free reign was the reason why he got into so much trouble. Guys like to play for Miles because he's a players coach, but when you're dealing with guys that are pretty much still children you have to reign them in, have stucture and teach them their actions have consequences. Miles gave Tyrann chance after chance and each time he blew it. I put that on both parties tho because Les didn't put his foot down the FIRST time he got in trouble.

When you have a lockerroom full of GROWN MEN, and being coached by a strict no nonsense coach it can help a guy like Tyrann. Teach him that being a professional means you have to be accountable for your actions off the field as well as on.

I actually think Hargrove is a good example even though he had already turned the corner with his substance abuse. Hargrove came into the league and seemed to have no guidance in his previous locker rooms to keep him from turning to much harder drugs that Tyrann has done. Then being out of the NFL and getting the correct rehabbing he needed and coming back to a place like NOLA where its easy to get caught up in the that party year round life style. He stayed the course and didn't let temptation get to him.

If anything if we were to draft Tyrann, I think having a former Saint that has had a much harder time with substance abuse, come and talk to him every once and a while and show him how the road he took effected his overall career greatly, how he worked hard to get back to better himself and get back to the NFL, and then was blessed by the Saints giving him a second chance and winning a SB. But overall it took years off his career and he lost a lot of money.

I'm rooting for him wherever he goes though.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

On the positive side, all Saints players would have ready access to the best weed in the city.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

If we had all 7 picks, or even extra picks I'd be OK with taking a shot on him with a mid-rounder. He is a fiesty lil' bastaad! He'd also help out immediately on special teams, relieving Sproles from those duties.

But we only have 5 picks and I think we need to make them count. I'd prefer we stay away from red-flag prospects this year.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Could he really do any worse than other 3rd or 4th rounds picks we've made? Al Woods and Johnny Patrick come to mind.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Running the 40 yard dash in 4.50s is pretty good for a guy always considered a better football player than athlete.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

Certainly a risk. He has talent on the field but has proven he makes poor choices off the field. Do we want to fill his pockets with alot of money and trust he does the right thing when he is not under the Saint organization's thumb? History would prove otherwise. Of course, how many NFL players are "role models" anyway? Could he be a productive NFL star? Absolutely. But, do we take the risk? If Micky and Sean think so.

Re: Why the New Orleans Saints should draft Tyrann Mathieu
 

I just want bigger DBs because the Saints have enough of the smaller variety already.

And, like Danno, I don't want to risk any of the limited number of picks this year on players with red flags.